Kabar
Edition 1: January - March 2004
Greetings,
Welcome to all readers to the first issue of “Kabar
Itah” the newsletter of Yayasan Tambuhak Sinta.
We hope everyone enjoys reading about activities
in the villages in the Upper Kahayan area.
In addition to our village-based development, we
are about to start exploring the possibility of
developing a ‘framework for regional
development’. The idea is to bring together a
partnership of interested parties – from
government, civil society, business, and funding
agencies – who would work together to build an
integrated platform for future development in all
sectors in Kalimantan Tengah.
If this could be accomplished, development would
have a rational basis for investment. Priorities
would be clear and critical gaps in knowledge,
capacity, policy, and services could be acted upon.
With a framework developed collaboratively, there
would be a common agreement on how to move
forward to achieve development objectives in the
most responsible way.
Kalimantan Tengah is in the early stages of
development, so the timing for this initiative is ideal.
Our parent organization, PT Kalimantan Surya
Kencana, together with the Provincial Government
and the United Nations Conference on Trade and
Development, intend to convene a small, multi-
stakeholder workshop at the end of April, which
will be the first step in building support for the
framework concept. Participants have been invited
from all sectors, but the core group will be
government officials from province and district.
In the next issue we will inform you about the
results of the workshop, as well as other
developments within the YTS community network.
Bardolf Paul
Director
Itah
YTS Assistance
Yayasan Tambuhak Sinta (YTS) was
established in 1997 by PT Kalimantan
Surya Kencana (KSK), a junior mineral
exploration company. The mission of YTS
is to facilitate community development in
the villages close to the exploration area.
KSK would like YTS to strengthen the
capacity of villagers and village institutions,
in order to mitigate the impact that a future
mining development might have on the
social, economic, and cultural integrity of
the community.
Since its inception in 1997, YTS as been
working in 6 villages in Gunung Mas district.
Three of these villages are along the
Kahayan River - Tumbang Mahuroi,
including Karombang sub-village, Karetau
Sarian, and Tumbang Anoi. The other three
villages lie along the Miri River – Tumbang
Napoi, Mangkuhung, and Tumbang
Project location map Manyoi. Until very recently, YTS programs
have been based on externally-perceived
needs, but this is about to change as YTS staff are facilitating community-
based needs analysis, using the Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) approach
and methodology. Already this is providing a much deeper level of
understanding of the dynamics in each community, and will lead to more
realistic programs.
This change in approach arose from a review of the existing way of working.
YTS decided to redefine its vision as: “To improve community welfare through
managing natural resources in sustainable and responsible ways”. YTS will
gradually reduce its direct technical involvement and will act more as a facilitator
and linking agent between the community and appropriate external resources.
Each village will develop an annual Community Development Plan. YTS will
help the village find the means to implement the plan, including promoting
components to government and donor agencies. It is anticipated that this
approach will empower villagers to improve their situation from within, and
initially with the help of YTS, to find the ways and means to take action on the
activities they identify in their development plan.
Until this process is completed later this year, YTS will continue to implement
its existing support programs in four focal areas: governance, economics,
health, and education.
Kabar Itah
Kabar Itah is the quartely newsletter of
Yayasan Tambuhak Sinta, an affiliate
of PT. Kalimantan Surya Kencana
Table of Contents
Edition 1, Jan-March 2004
Greetings...................................... 1
YTS Assistance......................... 1
Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA)
in Mangkuhung Villagge..................2
Visit to Tumbang Habangoi Village:
Making a Bridge between the
Community and the Company ..........2
Current Field Activities................
1. Governance ......................
2. Economics ..........................
3. Health .................................
4. Education ............................
Rice Ladang: Dependency on
Nature .............................................. 4
Patchouli Plants: A New Income
Prospect ?................................... 4
Upcoming Activities.......................... 4
Published
Yayasan Tambuhak Sinta
Jl. Teuku Umar No. 32A 73112
Palangka Raya-Central Kalimantan
Indonesia
Phone +62 0536 37184
Fax +62 0536 29187
yts@palangkaraya.wasantara.net.id
Editor
Mayang Meilantina
Editorial Staffs
Ros Siana
Naumi
Yapet M. Siwung
Saefudin Muthohar
Bank Account
Yayasan Tambuhak Sinta
Bank Danamon
Cabang Palangka Raya
Nomor 11655412
We welcome any news , comment and
articles on relevant topics but we re-
serve the right to edit any material in
order to fit the available space.
2 Kabar Itah - Edition 1
Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) in Mangkuhung Village
YTS began initiating participatory rural
appraisals (PRA) to help villagers develop their
capacity to analyze local conditions and to set
up their own Village Development Plan, based
on an analysis of opportunities and constraints.
Mangkuhung village lies on the banks of the Miri
River. It was the first village to implement a PRA
in mid-February. A two day training session was
provided to village ‘key informants’ on February
12-13, just prior to the four day exercise. Ten
fully
villagers took part, including four persons from
Tumbang Manyoi village.
The ‘key informants’ provide local support to the
PRA facilitators, helping mobilize villagers for
Village meeting to finalize Village Development Plan in Mangkuhung
the various activities, and guiding the facilitators
3
3
to appropriate locations for interviews and group
3 work. They also act as a sounding board throughout the process, and take an active role in consolidating
3
3
all of the outputs generated in the four day period and identifying the initial set of activities for the Village
Development Plan.
During the four day appraisal in Mangkuhung village, the activities were divided between two groups. It
was a joint learning process for both the facilitation team from YTS and the villagers. All villagers could not
be involved in every activity, so the daily outputs were displayed, explained, and cross-checked in the
evening in an ‘information marketplace’ setting, which attracted a lot of villagers along the main village
road. The main issues identified during the PRA were how to improve rice cultivation and rubber production.
For rice production, more than 70% of the villagers use the swidden system, usually working collectively
Visit to Tumbang Habangoi Village:
Making a Bridge between the Community and the Company
In mid-January 2004, a delegation from KSK/
YTS and the local government visited Tumbang
Habangoi village. The delegation was led by
the head of Sanaman Mantikei district and the
director of exploration for KSK, and included
other staff from the district and KSK/YTS. A
meeting in the village head’s house was
attended by more than 50 villagers. KSK clarified
that the company is still in the exploration stage
and has not yet produced any outputs. There
have been rumors that KSK has been removing
gold from its worksite, whereas it simply has
been taking rock and core samples for
laboratory analysis.
Meeting in house of village head Tumbang Habangoi
Tumbang Habangoi is the uppermost village in
the Samba River, and is the closest village to the current exploration area. More than 50% of the company’s
field staff come from Habangoi village. Most have no formal education, but through on-the-job training
have acquired special skills in drilling and surveying. Some have become very capable geological
assistants.
‘Work opportunities’ was the most popular topic raised at the meeting. The reality is that there are more
people wanting jobs than there are available opportunities. To help with this, KSK/YTS would like to see
the economy in the village become more diversified, so there’s not an over-dependence on the company.
There may be opportunities in agriculture, animal husbandry, forest gardens, fish rearing, rattan, and
rubber production. All these economic activities are based on local natural resources and are in line with
the villagers' capabilities. If done successfully, they would improve household livelihoods and would
increase the overall welfare of the community in a sustainable way.
Current Field Activities children under five, and
milk for pregnant and
The field activities of YTS are divided into four areas breast-feeding women.
- governance, economics, health, and education.
However, this program is
facing some problems.
There is no qualified
1. Governance
medical person available
in the village to provide
In the governance sector, assistance has focused
information and services
on improving the way development is managed in
about health. There also
the village by promoting good village governance
are no replacement
and cooperation between village staff and the
cadres prepared to take
village council (BPD). YTS has also been providing
over from the current Weighing under- five child in Tumbang Manyoi village
assistance to improve the capacity to deliver better
posyandu management
village governance. This support has focused on
group. In addition, YTS staff have limited knowledge and experience about
promoting accountability and transparency in
health matters. Another constraint is that some mothers are very busy and
managing finances and development programs.
have no time to bring their children to attend the program. Other mothers
YTS would like to see governance that is
missed out because they were not in the village at the time the mother and
participatory and responsible, that brings benefits
child program was held.
to everyone through a process of healthy
development.
Clean water supply. YTS
found an alternative
2. Economics technology to provide
clean water for drinking,
The goal with YTS economic sector activities is to food preparation, and
help the community increase its income, and create washing that is powered
sustainable alternative livelihoods. Some YTS by water pressure. This
activities in the economic field are: is the hydraulic ram
pump or ‘hydram’. It’s a
Cooperatives. The ‘Kani Hapakat Cooperative’ in low cost and low
Tumbang Napoi village is managed directly by local maintenance system that
villagers. This co-operative supplies a limited requires only basic skills
number of consumption goods to villagers at a to install, run, an
discounted price. In its February 2004 annual maintain.The installation
meeting, the cooperative reported both progress Hydraulic ram provides clean water in Tumbang Napoi
is jointly supported by the
and profitability. local community and
YTS. The community provides local materials and YTS supplies the hardware
Patchouli Oil Cultivation. Some villagers in - hydram and main pipes. On-going management and maintenance is the
Tumbang Napoi have started growing patchouli oil responsibility of the community. One shortcoming was that insufficient attention
plants, with the hope that it will develop into a has been paid to social issues, such as who benefits and how this gets
sustainable business activity that will provide a decided. This has resulted in some systems not yet fully installed, and some
healthy supplement to their incomes. At the present resentments from those who have not yet received any benefits. A deadline of
time villagers have limited capital and experience, June 2004 has been agreed upon to sort these issues out.
but they do have plans to expand the current
plantation area if everything goes well. The
patchouli oil group has sent a proposal to the 4. Education
regency government asking for assistance and
funding, and have received a positive initial
Kalimantan Kids Club
response.
Scholarship. As of
January 2004, there
were 15 students
3. Health benefiting from the
Kalimantan Kids
Posyandu. The work with village posyandus Clubscholarship
- village based voluntary health groups - is aimed program. The program
primarily at improving the health status of mothers supports 8 university
and their children. The posyandus follow a monthly students, 6 high school
routine. Activities are organized and implemented students, and one
by a core group of mothers, with some assistance elementary student. It
from YTS. The main activity is weighing children covers their monthly cost
under five, and providing food supplements (Balita). of living and tuition fees.
YTS has established a fund to support the Gathering of Kalimantan Kids
All beneficiaries come
operational activities - food supplements for from the six villages
where YTS currently is working. Kabar Itah - Edition 1 3
Rice Ladang: Dependency on Nature
The PRA in
Mangkuhung showed
that the daily life and
economic activities of
villagers depend
highly upon the moods
of nature. Agricultural
activities, such as rice
cultivation, forest
gardening, and hunting
constantly have to
adapt to natural
conditions, and these
are becoming harder
Traditional rice ladang cultivation in Upper Miri river line to predict.
Rice and rubber are the two most commonly-raised plants. Most villagers
plant rice for their daily consumption needs and as a reserve food stock.
Rice is planted on rain-fed land, as part of a shifting cultivation system. In
the 1970s, the rotation cycle was over 15 years. Today the cycle is much
shorter, as new areas for cultivation are becoming harder to find. Most of the
land is occupied by local people or the logging concession. Currently the
land is rotated every 5-7 years, and this cycle is becoming shorter.
Land rotation is the traditional method by which villagers maintain soil fertility.
A family usually grows rice in the same location for 3-5 seasons. They then
move on to a completely new area or to a previously-used piece of land. In
the fallow period between cropping, wild plants grow on the land, replenishing
the soil’s fertility. Today, the current cycle of land rotation is not working
properly. People are not getting satisfactory results. From year to year, rice
production and productivity are decreasing.
Rice cultivation is carried out in a simple way, without the use of external
inputs, such as chemical fertilizers, and other modern technologies. People
make no extra effort to maintain soil fertility, because it is expected that
Nature would take care of it. Unfortunately, Nature’s ability to do this has
been steadily decreasing. Some other factors are causing harvest failure,
such as root decay, mite attacks, and grasshopper infestations. A failed
harvest can have a substantial impact on a family that is highly dependent
on rice cultivation. Some families that YTS staff interviewed were facing a
shortage of rice for several months.
Land that is unable to support rice growing any longer is planted with rubber.
Since the 1970s, villagers in Mangkuhung have been planting a traditional
variety of rubber tree. They have virtually no contact with research and
technology, and have no information about better rubber cultivation
techniques. The most common pest is called “Buhei”. It frequently attacks
rubber plants in the village. The trunk of the tree becomes very dry, producing
no more latex, and then the tree dies. Traditional treatments, such as using
roots, have not been successful. In the end, the villagers fell the dying
rubber trees for firewood. Villagers want to receive some kind of help to
improve their rubber production and to overcome the pests and diseases
that attack their plants.
Some villagers are becoming interested in fixed farming methods. They
want to develop other sources of income, such as raising animals and fish.
They also are keen to get information about economically high value plants
that are appropriate for the climate and soil in Mangkuhung. Technical
assistance and relevant information are badly needed to help people improve
their existing livelihoods and to create new alternatives.
Upcoming Activities
Workshop on Regional Development. A workshop
sponsored by the provincial government, KSK, and
UNCTAD will take place in Palangka Raya, 26-27
April. Forty participants are expected from local
government - province and regency, donor
agencies, NGOs, and the private sector. The
UNCTAD representative will come from the head
office in Geneva.
PRA in Tumbang Manyoi village. YTS will facilitate
a participatory appraisal in Tumbang Manyoi
village, 10-13 April. The main output will be a Village
Development Plan that YTS will help with finding
the resources to support.
Visit to the Fish Breeding Institute (BPI) in
Tangkiling. At the end May, beneficiaries of the KSK/
YTS ‘Kalimantan Kids Club’ will visit the Fish
Breeding Institute in Tangkiling to learn about how
to raise and to cultivate fish. Afterwards they will
visit a nearby orphanage.
Patchouli Plants: A New Income
Prospect?
Patchouli is not a well known plant in Central
Kalimantan, particularly in the Upper Kahayan. In
Aceh and some other areas in Java, patchouli
growing has a high economic prospect. One of the
farmer groups YTS has been supporting in
Tumbang Napoi village is currently putting some
effort into developing patchouli plantations. The soil
and climate are very appropriate, and the plants
grow well. However, the percentage of oil in the
plants is not yet known, and a distillation trial will
be carried out very soon to determine the quality of
the patchouli oil.
So far, the farmer group has not much experience
in cultivating the plants, in controlling pests and
diseases, and with the distillation process. They
are using their own limited funds to develop the
prospect, and have not yet found a third party to
assist them in the business. Capital may be a
limiting factor for them, especially if they decide to
purchase a distillation machine, which can be
rather expensive
It is hoped that the patchouli plant can be a
sustainable, alternative livelihood for the
community, able to provide an appropriate return
on people’s efforts. At the present time, the farmer
group has sufficient seedlings for opening new
plantation areas. By the middle of 2004, the total
area devoted to patchouli is expected to become
four hectares.
Kabar Itah - Edition 1 4